When I was a student in high school, the thought of college excited and scared me. I was excited to grow as an individual and find myself. But the thought of leaving a small high school and going to a bigger university scared me.
I never really gave much thought into what university I would choose until I was a senior in high school. There were two schools that I thought I would end up attending. One was a community college, and the other was a larger college in Mobile. But those plans started to change when I became aware of the University of Mobile.
I first became aware of the University of Mobile when I saw RamCorps perform at an honor band event and a marching band competition. When I first heard this group, I looked at my band director and said: “I want to do that.” Although the musical path was not the one to guide me to the University of Mobile, there were others that would lead me to it.
Two of the most influential teachers in my life both graduated from the University of Mobile: my English teacher and my golf coach/driver’s education instructor. It was because of these two that I decided it was a good idea to apply and visit the university.
Many of my previous fears went away when I visited the University of Mobile for the first time. The campus is about an hour from my parent’s house and was small enough to create a comfortable transition from a small high school.
On my visit day, I fell in love with the campus. It had a warm and welcoming atmosphere that made me want to stay. It felt as if it was the right place to be. This visit sold me on the idea of going to school at the University of Mobile. Now, I am a senior at the university and have enjoyed every semester spent here.
Sydney Snow is a University of Mobile 2022 graduate with a double major in English and Strategic Communications and a minor in Spanish. During her senior year, Sydney interned with UM’s Office for Marketing and Public Relations. Today, she works at the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission with the Employment and Economic Development Services department. Her focus is on the Senior Community Service Employment Program.